[Review] Balam Acab – Day2 “an intricate and thought provoking scene”
From the EP ‘All I Beg’, this opening track is a massively unique and interesting example of ambient or atmospheric music at perhaps it’s most experimental, without sacrificing depth or consistency of mood that is. The piece reflects something of an intricate and thought provoking scene, the likes of which are set to be different for each individual who listens. What’s great about this piece of music is the way in which it develops and evolves, for what begins as a fairly industrial and dark sounding track it soon becomes something much more delicate, verging on being peaceful but still somehow doused in a certain haunting energy.
It’s a complex and clever piece of creative production that is fascinating to witness. It bears listening to more than once or twice, both for the purpose of escaping entirely to wherever the instrumental storyline may take you, and for exploring those details of design that are available in such great supply throughout the song.
The effects used on the track, particularly this vintage, old radio or bad signal crackle that surrounds the emerging samples, create a fairly intense and captivating arena of sound. You follow these moments along almost as if you were watching them on a screen, waiting for the arrival of a leading character or a major incident. As the beat comes into play, this is the meat of the music, the disjointed rhythm, the provocative energy that moves along just slightly, pausing intermittently to remind you to pay attention. The places your mind can wander to when listening to something as thoughtfully intricate and detailed as this are incredibly powerful. This is a unique and compelling approach to creative expression, and to listen in full, intently, is to take on the full weight of the ideas behind it.
By Rebecca Cullen
Rebecca is a Musician and writer from Manchester, UK, with an MA in Song Writing
